Device for cooling the rod being formed in a machine for the continuous casting of metal rods of indefinite length



July 19, 1966 1. PROPERZ! 3,261,059

DEVICE FOR COOLING THE ROD BEING FORMED IN A MACHINE FOR THE CONTINUOUSCASTING 0F METAL RODS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH Filed Dec. 7, 1962 5Sheets-Sneet 1 INVENTOR ILARIO PROPERZI July 19, 1966 1. PROPERZI3,261,059

DEVICE FOR COOLING THE HOD BEING FORMED IN A MACHINE FOR THE CONTINUOUSCASTING OF METAL RODS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH Filed Dec. '7. 1962 sSheets-Sheet 2 III Q IN VENTOR (\l ILARIO PROPERZI July 19, 1966PROPERZl 3,261,059

DEVICE FOR COOLING THE ROD BEING FORMED IN A MACHINE FOR THE CONTINUOUSCASTING OF METAL RODS OF INDEFINITE LENGTH Filed Dec. 7. 1962 5Sheets-Sneet 5 INVENTOR ILARIO PROPERZI United States Patent 3,261,059DEVICE FOR COOLING THE ROD BEING FORMED IN A MACHINE FOR THE CONTINUOUSCAST- IN G OF METAL RODS 0F INDEFINITE LENGTH Ilario Properzi, ViaCosimo del Fante 10, Milan, Italy Filed Dec. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 243,087Claims priority, application Italy, Dec. 13, 1961, 22,326/ 61 3 Claims.(Cl. 2257.4)

The present invention relates to a device for cooling the rod beingformed in a machine for the continuous casting of metal rods ofindefinite length.

The machine in question is of the type which comprises a drum rotatableon its own axis and provided with a peripheral groove: the molten metal,having been introduced into said groove at a point situated at a certainheight, issues thereafter from the groove in the form of an ingot orrod, at a point a certain arcuate length away from said point ofentrance.

An endless metallic belt or band contacts to the periphery of the drumalong the length thereof from the point at which the molten metal entersthe groove up to the point at which the ingot or rod issues therefrom,so that, at every instant, said belt closes the groove along said lengthof the drum and prevents the metal from escaping therefrom.

As it travels through the arc stretching from the point of entrance ofthe metal to the point of issue of the ingot (which points are fixed inspace while the grooved drum rotates about its axis), the metal mustsolidify and, in order to do so, must be cooled.

One cooling system already provided on a machine of this type comprisesa dispersion of heat inside the drum (by cooling through watercirculation) and a device which directs jets of water on to a length ofsaid belt covering the groove, striking the outer surface of said belt.

The production of ingot per unit of time depends on the speed ofrotation of the grooved wheel, and this speed, for a given coolingsystem, cannot exceed a certain limit.

If the speed of the drum were to exceed said limit, the ingot issuedfrom the drum would not yet be properly solidified and would hence betoo soft to withstand without damage even the modest strains to whichsaid ingot is subjected in order to extract it from the moulding cavity(i.e. the groove of the drum). An object of the present invention is toprovide for more powerful cooling of the forming ingot. This brings theadvantage not only of being able to increase the output of ingot byincreasing the speed of the drum, but also of achieving a finercrystalline structure and less segregation in the ingot. The machine forthe continuous casting of indefinite metallic bars according to thepresent invention comprises means for a preliminary cooling of the metalover at least a first part of the arc included between the two pointsrespectively of metal inlet and ingot discharge, and is characterized inthat there is provided a cooling device comprising means adapted tocause a length of belt, starting from a point in said are at which theforming ingot is in a state at least sufficiently pasty to give theingot a certain mechanical strength, to be separated somewhat from saiddrum periphery, and means adapted to send jets of water such as willwash the surface of the length of ingot which is uncovered correspondingto the length of belt aforesaid which has moved a certain distance awayfrom the periphery of the drum.

In order better to show the characteristics of the cooling deviceaccording to the present invention, an embodiment of said device willnow be described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a machine provided with the device inquestion;

3"26 1 9 Patented July 1 9, 1 966 FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of thedevice taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1.

The machine for the continuous .casting of metal rods of indefinitelength, that is visible in FIG. 1, comprises a drum 1, rotatable on itsown horizontal axis and driven by a motor.

Drum 1 comprises a peripheral portion 2 formed with a groove 3 (aroundthe whole of its circumference) into which the molten metal for theformation of the ingot or rod is drawn. The metal in the liquid state 22comes from a crucible 4 and is inducted into groove 3 at point A througha nozzle 5. An endless belt 6, supported on a wheel 7 and on drum 1itself, is looped partially around the latter so as to form a closingwall of the peripheral groove 3 along an are which starts at point A andter minates at a point B where the metal 22 issues solidified in theform of an ingot.

Said belt keeps the metal, which is first molten and then pasty, insidesaid groove, and thereafter the metal, or rather the ingot, leaves thegroove at point B. Once clear of the drum beyond point B, the ingotmoves onward over sustaining and guiding means (not shown), and is thensent to successive machining processes whereby the finished rod or baris obtained.

In order to cool the metal which, while drum 1 rotates in the directionof arrow F, has to pass from the liquid to the solid state along saidare AB, there has hitherto been provided a system based on a dispersionof heat inside the drum (i.e. cooling by the circulation of water insidethe drum itself), and also on the cooling of belt 1 which is investedfrom the outside by jets of water directed thereonto. A device,schematically indicated by the part 8 in the drawing, provides in factfor the sending of jets of water onto the outer surface of the belt overa certain ar-c thereof.

Said system for dispersing the heat inside the drum, and also theschematically shown device 8, are in themselves independent of theinvention but they also form part of the machine in question and providefor a preliminary cooling of the metal.

The device provided according to the invention, for a more rapid andeffective cooling, comprising two members 9 placed at the two sides ofthe drum and symmetrical one with the other in respect to the centreplane of said drum, i.e. the lane perpendicular to the axis of the drumand dividing the drum ideally into two halves (the edge of said planebeing indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3 by the line P). Each member 9comprises two parts 16 and 17 joined together by means of pairs ofscrews 18. Part 16 is formed with a cavity 19 extending along an arestarting substantially from a point D and going up to the neighborhoodof a point G at the end of member 9 near point B.

Cavity 19 is closed along one side by part 17 and is closed also at thetwo ends D and G of said are whereat said cavity starts and finishes.

A pipeline 20 admits water into cavity 19 whence the water, which enterssaid cavity along the whole length of said are DG, can issue onlythrough a set of holes -21 formed at regular intervals along said arc. t

The axes of holes 21 are so oriented that the jet of water issuing fromeach of them can impinge on the metal 22 of the rod, as will be apparenthereinafter.

In the present embodiment, each pipeline 20 admits water into cavity 19of the respective member 9 near the end D thereof, but the point ofconnection between pipeline 20 and cavity 19 can be at any desired pointon are DG.

Similarly, the number, section and distribution of holes 21 along arc DGcan be determined in various ways.

Each member 9 also carries a set of small rollers 23,

distributed along arc DG at equally spaced intervals, each of which ishoused in a seat of member 19, protruding partly therefrom, and canfreely rotate on its own axis.

The two members 9 are integral with each other so as to form a singlebody; this body, which extends from point E to point G, is pivoted on afixed support 10 in such a manner that it can perform rotations about ahorizontal axis indicated by the numeral 11.

Said body comprising the two members 9 is also pivoted at its end E toan arm 12 which is in turn pivoted at a threaded rod 13.

The lead screw of rod 13 is integral with a handwheel 14 and can rotate,without moving axially, inside a fixed support 15.

It follows that, by turning handwheel 14 in one or the other direction,rod 13 moves, in an axial sense only, upwards or downwards, thus causingthe assembly of members 9 to rotate about axis 11 so as to depart fromor approach the drum.

The working of the cooling device provided according to the invention,including said members 9, will now be described.

With rod 13 lowered and hence members 9 raised, belt 6 contacts theperipheral edge of drum 1 over the whole of arc AB. Under theseconditions belt 6 closes the groove containing the metal. By raising rod13 by means of rotating handwheel 14 which can be manually controlled bythe operator, said body comprising members 9 (joined integrallytogether) rotates in such a manner that members 9 are lowered. In thismanner, by pressing belt 6 with rollers 23, said members detach to acertain extent the belt itself from the periphery of the drum, along anarc extending substantially from D to B. The distance of belt 6 fromsurface 24 of the metal varies along arc DB, i.e. it is zero near D andgradually increases up to a value of some millimetres. The length ofingot which is in said are is thus uncovered.

By admitting water into cavity 19 of each member 9 (e.g. by turning on asuitable tap which sends water simultaneously to both cavities 19), thewater, issuing from holes 21, impinges on the metal 22 (v. FIG; 3) ofthe forming ingot along arc DB, exercising thereon the greatest possiblecooling action. In the working of the machine for the continuous castingof metallic rods in question, as soon as casting has started, the devicecomprising members 9 is set according to the conditions hereinabovedescribed in which the belt is separated from the periphery of drum 1along arc DB, and the tap which sends water into said members 9 isopened.

The metal which, as stated, enters in liquid form into the peripheralgroove 3, begins immediately afterwards to cool, both on account of saiddispersion inside the drum through the circulation therein of water, andon account of the jets of water sent by device 8 on to the outer surfaceOf belt 6.

The metal arrives at point D, where the length of belt that is detachedfrom the drum begins, in a solid or almost solid state (i.e. pasty inpractice) and, in any case, no longer liquid, so that it possesses acertain compactness at the moment when it enters into the portion of thegroove 3 that is not completely closed by the belt, while still being ata relatively high temperature.

At this point an increased cooling action on said metal takes place.

Through the clearances which have been opened because of the aforesaidlowering of members 9 and hence of belt 6, the water plays with violentjets on the outer film of the metal ingot which is in the process ofsolidification. In this cooling zone at which it is in direct contactwith the water (i.e. zone DB), the ingot is still practically sustainedand contained by the walls of the mould, although there exists due tothe shrinkage of the metal a space where the water can circulate roundthe ingot itself.

Although it is being struck with a certain violence by the jets ofwater, the ingot, since it is inside the mould, cannot break even thoughit is still in a pasty state.

There is thus a powerful cooling of the metal due to the direct contactthereof with the water.

The speed of cooling which can be obtained in this manner is thegreatest possible, in view of the fact that the ingot shrinks and isstruck by the water while still in the pasty state around its entirecross sectional periphery. This constitutes a new means whereby a metalcan pass from the liquid to the solid state in a few seconds in thecourse of a regular production process turning out several tons perhour.

I claim:

1. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal in acontinuous rod form having a rotatable casting wheel with a peripheralcasting groove therein and a moving endless belt which contacts saidwheel to define an enclosed casting area with the peripheral castinggroove extending over an arcuate segmental length of the travel of therotating wheel, in combination, the means for cooling said metal withina predetermined cooling portion of said segmental length of the movingenclosed casting area, into which the metal enters hardened to a degreethat it is in a cohesive condition in the casting groove and will remainin that condition so that it may be separated slightly from the wall ofthe casting groove without breaking, said means cooling includingapparatus comprising separating means for displacing the endless beltradially away from the wheel and casting groove in said predeterminedcooling portion to an extent to provide for sufficient separation ofcasting wheel, bell and rod and permitting the rod in the casting grooveto be positioned radially away from the same in said predeterminedportion so that a cooling liquid may contact and cool the rod around itsentire cross sectional periphery while the rod is still in said castinggroove, and including also liquid-impinging means for impinging coolingliquid directly against the outside surface of the rod to cool the rodoverits entire crosssection for the length which is maintained displacedfrom the casting groove over said predetermined portion of the enclosedcasting area in the machine.

2. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal in acontinuous rod form having a rotatable casting wheel with a peripheralcasting groove therein and a moving endless belt which contacts saidwheel to define an enclosed casting area with the peripheral castinggroove extending over an arcuate segmental length of the travel of therotating wheel, in combination, the means for cooling said metal withina predetermined cooling portion of said segmental length of the movingenclosed casting area, into which the metal enters hardened to a degreethat it is in a cohesive condition in the casting groove and will remainin that condition so that it may be separated slightly from the wall ofthe casting groove without breaking, said means for cooling includingapparatus having a part thereof on each side of the casting wheeladjacent the endless belt, separating means in each said part fordisplacing the endless belt radially away from the wheel and castinggroove in said predetermined cooling portion to an extent to provide forsufficient separation of casting wheel, belt and rod and permitting therod in the casting groove to be positioned radially away from the samein said predetermined portion so that a cooling liquid may contact andcool the rod around its entire cross sectional periphery while the rodis still in said casting groove, and liquid impinging means in each saidpart for impinging cooling liquid directly against the outside surfaceof the rod to cool the rod over its entire crosssection for the lengthwhich is maintained displaced from the casting groove over saidpredetermined portion of the enclosed casting area in the machine, saidliquid impinging means in each said part including a cooling-liquidcavity extending longitudinally through the part and being closed atopposite ends thereof, with nozzle portions opening from the cavity todirect cooling liquid to the outside surface of the rod.

3. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal in acontinuous rod form having a rotatable casting wheel with a peripheralcasting groove therein and a moving endless belt which contacts saidwheel to define an enclosed casting area with the peripheral castinggroove extending over an arcuate segmental length of the complete travelof the rotating wheel, in combination, the means for cooling said metalwithin a predetermined cooling portion of said segmental length of themoving enclosed casting area, into which the metal enters hardened to adegree that it is in a cohesive condition in the casting groove and willremain in that condition so that it may be separated slightly from theWall of the casting groove without breaking, said means for coolingincluding apparatus having a part thereof on each side of the castingwheel adjacent the endless belt, separating means each said part fordisplacing the endless belt radially out of contact with the wheel andcasting groove in said predetermined cooling portion to an extent toprovide for suflicient separation of casting wheel, belt and rod andpermitting the rod in the casting groove to be positioned radially awayfrom the same in said predetermined portion so that a cooling liquid maycontact and cool the rod around its entire cross sectional peripherywhile the rod is still in said casting groove, liquid impinging means ineach said part for impinging cooling liquid directly against the outsidesurface of the rod to cool the rod over its entire crosssection for thelength which is maintained displaced from the casting groove over saidpredetermined portion of the enclosed casting area in the machine, andmeans connected with said apparatus for adjustably moving said partsradially from the rotating wheel to position the separating meanstherein a radial distance from the wheel related to the distance desiredfor the belt displacement from said wheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 315,045 4/1885Lyman 2257 .4

594,583 11/ 1897 Wood 2257.4 2,659,948 1 1/ 3 Properzi 225 7.4 2,659,94911/1953 Properzi 225 7.4 2,710,433 6/ 1955 Properzi 2257.4 2,714,235 8/1955 Brennan 2257 .4 2,8 65,067 12/ 1958 Properzi 2257.4 2,956,320 10/1960 Pulsifer 225 7.4

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,178,580 12/1958 France.

I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

MARCUS U. LYONS, Examiner.

V. K. RISING, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A MACHINE FOR THE CONTINUOUS CASTING OF MOLTEN METAL IN ACONTINUOUS ROD FORM HAVING A ROTATABLE CASTING WHEEL WITH A PERIPHERALCASTING GROOVE THEREIN AND A MOVING ENDLESS BELT WHICH CASTING GROOVETHEREIN AND FINE AN ENCLOSED CASTING AREA WITH THE PERIPHERAL CASTINGGROOVE EXTENDING OVER AN ARCUATE SEGMENTAL LENGTH OF THE TRAVEL OF THEROTATING WHEEL, IN COMBINATION, THE MEANS FOR COOLING SAID METAL WITHINA PREDETERMINED COOLING PORTION OF SAID SEGMENTAL LENGTH OF THE MOVINGENCLOSED CASTING AREA, INTO WHICH THE METAL ENTERS HARDENED TO A DEGREETHAT IT IS IN A COHESIVE CONDITION IN THE CASTING GROOVE AND WILL REMAININ THAT CONDITION SO THAT IT MAY BE SEPARATED SLIGHTLY FROM THE WALL OFTHE CASTING GROOVE WITHOUT BREAKING, SAID MEANS COOLING INCLUDINGAPPARATUS COMPRISING SEPARATING MEANS FOR DISPLACING THE ENDLESS BELTRADIALLY AWAY FROM THE WHEEL AND CASTING GROOVE IN SAID PREDETERMINEDCOOLING PORTION TO AN EXTENT TO PROVIDE FOR SUFFICIENT SEPARATION OFCASTING WHEEL, BELL AND ROD AND PERMITTING THE ROD IN THE CASTING GROOVETO BE POSITIONED RADIALLY AWAY FROM THE SAME IN SAID PREDETERMINEDPORTION SO THAT A COOLING LIQUID MAY CONTACT AND COOL THE ROD AROUND ITSENTIRE CROSS SECTIONAL PERIPHERY WHILE THE ROD IS STILL IN SAID CASTINGGROOVE, AND INCLUDING ALSO LIQUID-IMPINGING MEANS FOR IMPINGING COOLINGLIQUID DIRECTLY AGAINST THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE ROD TO COOL THE RODOVER ITS ENTIRE CROSSSECTION FOR THE LENGTH WHICH IS MAINTAINEDDISPLACED FROM THE CASTING GROOVE OVER SAID PREDETERMINED PORTION OF THEENCLOSED CASTING AREA IN THE MACHINE.